30th Jan - mostly cloudy, 10C, light W

 Willey;

A Raven over the fields first thing.

29th Jan - Mostly cloudy, light S, 12C. Some drizzle am.

Willey;

Two Song Thrushes singing today.  Also, a Mistle Thrush near the Long Spinney.

28th Jan - cloudy, 10C, light/mod S

Willey; morning.

Big Garden Bird count this morning.  Highlights were 6 Greenfinch, 4 Chaffinch, a Yellowhammer, A Great Spotted Woodpecker, 14 House Sparrows.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Two pairs of Stonechat, 14 Goldfinch.

Wigeon c150, Shoveler, Teal, drake Pintail still, Mallard, Gadwall,  69 Greylags and 17 Canada Geese.  Two Little Egrets.

DIRFT;

Green Sandpiper near railway control centre on flood pool/

27th Jan - 8C, light S, cloudy

Willey;

c50 Redwings feeding on pasture next to the Perkins spinney.

6 Greenfinch, 4 Chaffinch, a Yellowhammer, 6 House Sparrows at the paddock feed station.

Shawell sandpit/landfill,; morning.

7 Pochard, 12 Red Kites and 3 Gadwall, plus the other usual birds.

Stanford Hall Park/lake; afternoon.

A Cattle Egret was in the Sheep field just after the lane bridge, was seen this morning leaving Stanford reservoir and also here (Chris Hubbard).

Egyptian Goose pair, c50 Wigeon, a Stock Dove.

Stanford reservoir; mid-late afternoon.

Pretty quiet.  Usual winter birds including:

7 Goldeneye, 20 Goosanders, c30 Redwings and c50 Fieldfares at inlet fields.

A red Kite, 2 Buzzards.

26th Jan - sunny, light SW, 9C

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

A drake Pintail, (fairly unusual here) 17 Shoveler, 31 Gadwall, plus Wigeon, teal, Mallard, c 50 Lapwings.

A Green Sandpiper.   Stonechat pair (probably a second pair, a different area than my last report for here).  Male Sparrowhawk.

Three Kestrels, a pair, and the male chased another away.

Four Roe Deer.

Crick  Village

Starling roost, gathering over the west side and roosting in the garden conifers and other trees, c20000.

25th Jan - cloudy, light SW, 12C

Shawell sandpit/landfill; late afternoon.

I visited here a little later to see if there was a 'wing-winger' (ww) in the pre-roost departure flock, there was plenty of Gulls to search through,,but no 'ww'.

22 Red Kites were still present.

There is now a large pre-roost gathering of Carrion Crow, Rook and Jackdaw, I shall have to get a good estimate another time, but a minimum of 600 Jackdaws, maybe a thousand.

24th Jan - a rough night, but today calmer and light-miod SW wind, 11C, cloudy

Husbands Bosworth Airfield; 

A male Stonechat feeding.

23rd Jan - cloudy, some drizzle light rain at times, mod-fresh/gusty SW, 10C

No obs today.,

22nd Jan - cloudy, mod, sometime gusty, SW, 9C.

 Willey;

Six long-tailed Tits and Great Spotted Woodpecker at the feed station.

21st Jan - Cloudy, mod SSW, increasing late afternoon and becoming gusty, up to 35mph, also some light rain/drizzle. 11C

Willey;

A Sparrowhawk flew over, low, this morning.

Lilbourne Meadow; morning.

c150 Wigeon, Shovelers, Teal, Gadwall, 32 Lapwing, Stonechat pair, 12 Goldfinch, a Meadow Pipit.

Buzzard, c70 Fieldfares and c20 Redwings.

Rugby 'old' Radio station fields

c200 Golden Plover and c50 Lapwings.

Shawell sandpit/landfill

Similar to yesterday, but now mostly free water.

Pochard 3, 20 Ravens,, Wigeon 11.

20th Jan - Cloudy, light-mod SW, 6C. Very slow thawing

Willey; morning.

Raven over and Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in the BH wood.

Shawell sandpit/landfill; morning

Still 90% frozen over.

10 each Red Kite and Ravens.   22 Lapwings over.

Teal 58, Mallard 51, Gadwall 5, Wigeon 14, Shoveler 14, Coot 75, 12 Moorhens.  Mute Swans 2.

Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming in the spinney.

Rutland Water - North Arm; afternoon.

Slavonian Grebe showing well, 18 Pintails too.

A Goldfinch and Siskin flock feeding near the Fisherman's car park in Alders and on ground.

Rutland Water - Egleton reserve.

The Lagoons were mostly frozen over and most ducks were distant in the south arm 3 from Lapwing hide.  Just a sprinkling of  the expected birds around the reserve.   A Collared Dove singing at the centre and Rooks busy at the Rookery there.

A flock of c30 Siskins flew from the trees and a Bullfinch pair in the thicket near Shoveler hide.

Blaston-Uppingham Road

Two Grey Partridge ran over the road and in to field gateway, showing well.

19th Jan - frost -3C lasr night. Mostly sunny, temp slowly rising to 5C, light SW

 Husbands Bosworth sandpit; afternoon.

Still frozen.  4 Mute Swans, 9 Mallard, 3 Teal, 3 Gadwall, a Little Grebe, 2 Coot.

No sign of Stonechat.

Stanford reservoir; still frozen.

Shooting along the valley caused all the Greylags (277) and Canada Geese to flew in, on to the ice.  I noticed a smaller Canada Goose, it had a short neck, short legs, a stumpy bill and stout-ish looking head with a sharper forehead. Not long after after finding it standing on the ice it sat down and tucked up, asleep, so I only managed a record photo of it next to a Canada Goose.  It stayed here quite awhile and left unseen.

A single (un ringed) Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk, 5 lapwings over.

7 Goosanders, 2 Shoveler, a Little Grebe reduced numbers of usual ducks.

Gull roost, much reduced numbers.  Chris spotted a ringed (yellow/black) adult Caspian Gull.

18th Jan - -7C last night. Sunny, very light W, 2C

Stanford reservoir; afternoon.

Nearly all frozen over, just a few small free areas near edge.  

120 GBB Gulls sitting on the ice, with the others.  14 Goosanders.  A Sparrowhawk.

Two Chiffchaffs feeding along spillway, one bearing a ring, the other not.

Husbands Bosworth sandpit;

Just a small area of free water that held, 16 Mallard, 6 Gadwall, a Shoveler, a Little Grebe, 4 Moorhen and 2 Coot.

A 1W Stonechat was feeding around the edge and a Raven flew over calling.

17th Jan - frost last night - 2C, today sunny, 1C, light NW

Willey, morning.

A Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker around.  A Buzzard along the old railway.

On the feeder 2 Chaffinch, a Goldfinch and 3 Greenfinch, plus the regulars.  A few Starlings flying over.

16th Jan - -2C last night. Sunny, 3C, light SSW.

Willey; morning

c35 Starlings feeding on the ground behind Landscape View.

A Raven flew over low, calling, SW

15th Jan - -2C last night. Sunny, light breeze 2C

 No obs today

14th Jan - Sunny, with increasing cloud, light W, 6C

Mere Lane Lake; morning

21 Tufted Ducks, 2 Little Grebe, a Grey Heron, male Sparrowhawk.

Soar Brook Lake.

Quite a few Gulls here today, on the lake and filed - c250 Lesser Black-backed, c200 Herring and c80 Black-headed Gulls.  A Little Egret, 3 Little Grebes, 25 Wigeon, 12 Coot, 6 Moorhen, 77 Greylags, 8 Mallard, a Cormorant and Green Woodpecker.

Eyebook Reservoir; afternoon.

Water level very low with lots of shore all around and exposed mud at the inlet end.

Highlights included 4 Smew, all drakes, 48 Dunlin, 2 Snipe, 8 Pintail, a good number of Goldeneye, a Red Kite and Kestrel, two Little Egret and a Grey Heron.

A male Stonechat.

At least 1000 Lapwings.

Mostly sunny, light NE, 7C

Magna Park Lake; morning.

Two Water Rails, a Little Grebe, c25 Lesser Redpolls and 4 Goldfinch feeding in Alder tree. 

Stanford Hall Lake.

Six Little Grebes, 2 Shovelers, Mallards, Wigeon and Teal.  Two Grey Herons, a Nuthatch and Mistle Thrush.

Watermead CP North; afternoon.

Went to see an Eider that had been present,but I missed it by minutes.  Nothing else there other than the usual ducks.

Stoney Cove.

Peregrine and two Shags on the cliff face.

12th Jan - cloudy, light NNE, 4C

Shawell Sandpit/landfill; afternoon.

No 'white-winger. found today, at least 6 Caspian Gulls seen by this present, but plenty of Gulls present..  Other birds similar as yesterday.

                                            

Stanford Res; late afternoon.

Went to check the Gull roost for the Kumlien's Gull that Chris found yesterday evening, Simon and Mark came along too.  Plenty of Common and Black-headed gulls, few larger Gulls.

Mark picked up a bird being mobbed and on looking it was a Short-eared Owl, it gained height and flew off SW.

11th Jan - cloudy, dull, mod N, 5C, some drizzle pm

Willey; morning.

A Kestrel was flying over the fields by the Moors lane.

Shawell Sandpit/Landfill

Ian reported finding an Iceland Gull,  c1300h, in the sandpit.  I was heading that way for the afternoon anyhow, and was fortunate it was still showing, even if the weather had become pretty dull.

c20 Red Kites present, also the usual ducks.

10th Jan - Mostly cloudy, a few sunny intervals, light NNE, 4C

Willey; Paddock/Church and feed station

A Goldcrest in the Church yew.

A single Yellowhammer and Chaffinch with the usual birds at the feed station, only 4 House Sparrows..  

Unfortunately I've lost the Tree Sparrow and currently House Sparrows are low, maybe they are feeding elsewhere on a feeder, but there were plenty in the village post-breeding/autumn.  Last January numbers were low too, prior to that I used to get 20+.

If you are into Moths check our 'whats flying tonight' for what is likely in your area based on past records.

9th Jan - slight frost last night. Sunny, mod N E, 4C, very chilly

Willey; John M said he heard two Tawny Owls last evening about 1830h calling along the old railway track.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

A Shelduck with Teal, Mallard, Shoveler (10+), Gadwall and Wigeon.  12 Coot(increased), Moorhens. 

A Kestrel hunting, 14 Fieldfares and 2 Redwings feeding on the pasture.  

Greenfinch 3, Goldfinch and Chaffinch 2 each, Long-tailed Tit 4 and 2 Collared Doves.

8th Jan - Cloudy, brisk NE< 2C, the odd short sleety shower pm.

Stanford -on-Avon; afternoon.

On the monument field (several flood pools) a large mixed flock of Greylag and Canada Geese, among them was the Pink-footed Goose (seen at Stanford res on the 6th).

Also, a few Lapwing,  Great White Egret, Redwings and Fieldfares.

Stanford Reservoir; afternoon.

The water is very 'muddy' coloured following all the run-off in to the river, probably making feeding by many waterbirds difficult, which may explain the apparent reduced numbers.

6 Goosander (5 males).

7th Jan - Mostly cloudy, mod NE, 4C

North Norfolk;

 A day looking a some sites in the Wells/Holkham area.

At Holkham fresh marsh area highlights included White-fronted Geese, c1000 Pink-Footed Geese feeding on a nearby field, c150 Barnacle Geese, Egyptian Geese. Large number of Lapwing and Golden Plovers.  Red Kite and Marsh Harrier. Great White Egret, Little Egret. Lots of the usual Duck species.

The Shore Larks had unfortunately been flushed by a dog!

Wells harbour entrance/life boat area -  12 Red-breasted Merganser (displaying), Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Turnstones, Dunlin, Sanderling, Grey Plovers, Knot, Oystercatcher.

North Point Pools. Lots of Shelduck here today.  Two Red Kites, Barn Owl hunting.  Curlew feeding.

6th Jan - sunny, light NW, 6C

 Shawell Sandpit/Landfill; morning.

A good number of Gulls, included a 1W Caspian Gull.

Otherwise all the regulars, Pochard 3, Wigeon 3, Shoveler 10,  Teal c 60, Tufted 20, Little Grebe 2, Moorhen 11, Coot c40, 

Red Kite 3.

Leicester; Wyngate Road; afternoon.

Checked for Waxwing, but none found.  A Little Egret flew over.

Tournament Road;

Waxwing, 17 in tree tops in this area.

Swithland Res;

Velvet Scoter still present from December

5th Jan - Cloudy, v light breeze, 7C

Willey;

A Green Woodpecker called behind the Church.

Leicester, Wyngate Drive; afternoon.

I went to see Waxwings that ha been reported, but they had moved on.

Plenty of berried trees along the road which were occupied by a minimum of 12 Blackbirds, a Mistle Thrush and a Fieldfare.   c12 Goldfinches were in the Alder tree tops along with three Siskins.

A Comma Butterfly was on the wing

4th Jan - cloudy, light N, 8C

Ingarsby; 

At New Ingarsby Farm a minimum of 22 Collared Doves, several House Sparrows too.

A Red Kite was seen next to the road at Three gates and Tur Langton.

3rd Jan - cloudy, light SW, 8C, a few showers afternoon

Willey;

A Mistle Thrush was singing this morning and mid-afternoon from the Long Spinney near Muswell leys entrance.

Lilbourne Meadows; afternoon.

Most of the area is flooded or very water logged, now doubt affecting the small rodents, hopefully there is refuge out there for them.

A good number of Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler (c20) and a few Mallard and Gadwall.

Coot (4) and several Moorhens.  A Green Woodpecker called.

2nd Jan - Rain heavy most of the day, mod SW, 12C

Willey;

Heavy rain again through the day, by evening  0.6 inch had fell.  The countryside is thoroughly sodden with even more standing water and running water everywhere.

c50 Starlings feeding on Perkins field pasture 0900h.

Nice to see fresh Barn Owl Pellets and dropping in the field barn, I do have boxes there too.

Eyebrook Reservoir; afternoon.

Despite the rain I had a drive to Eyebrook to see the flooded Welland valley and hopefully the Green-winged Teal at Eyebrook, the latter I did not see.

5 Pintail, 1 Goldeneye, plus regular ducks and a Red Kite over.

Late afternoon a large flock of Starlings, c 300, flew south along the res, presumably to a roost site somewhere.

1st Jan - Sunny am, then clouding over with light rain late afternoon, 7C, light SW

Stanford -on-Avon; morning

The two Cattle Egrets and a Little Egret on the flood pools.  

A Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, and Nuthatch in trees by the Church Lane.

A Great White Egret was stalking lakeside.

Stanford Reservoir; 

All the usual ducks, including a drake Pintail and 4 Goosanders.  A Little Grebe. 

Two Red Kites, and two Mistle Thrushes dam area.   A Jay along the by-pass path.

Draycote Reservoir; afternoon.

The Black-throated Diver and two Great Northern Divers were still present.  A Common Scoter was very bold very close in near to the boat pontoons.